A Certain Scientific Twilight

by Babroniedad

09 - Twilight - The Goddess of the Hunt (redux)

Saturday, September 13, 3:30 PM Tokyo time.

“We are getting close to where we saw you last,” Chang’e called out over the headsets. “Can one of you come out and guide us to the entrance?”

“I got this!” called out Dash, flying towards the cavern entrance. She was quickly surrounded in Teal magic, and drawn back to Sunset's side.

“I swear you think you’re immortal,” groaned Sunset, face in her hands. “What are you forgetting, Dash?” she asked sweetly.

“Forgetting? What? Oh…” Dash’s face fell. “Yeah, no air. Forgot. Guess I won’t be helping out then.”

“How about you help me out?” suggested Sunset. “We can check out the rest of this temple, then you can run around and check out the rest of the lair.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Dash brightened.

“And I will go guide our friends,” smiled Twilight. “Kuroko, want to come too?”

Kuroko looked torn. Explore with her big sissy. Or fly in an angel's arms. Finally, she looked at Twilight. “Okay!” she grinned, leaping into her arms.

“Oof! Give a sister some warning, girl!” teased Twilight, holding her close. “Back in a few!” Twilight called out as they flew out of the cavern to meet their friends. Kuroko waved to them, grinning madly.

“That girl,” laughed Sunset. Dash chuckled.

“So, where first?” Dash asked.

“Let’s start out with the temple. I’m curious what’s in the rest of those rooms,” Sunset replied.

---

Things were busy in the coven. They had finally decided to send a team back to the bunker, both to lie in wait for the goddesses and their friends, and to investigate more deeply, looking for some signs or clues as to their quarry’s whereabouts.

They gathered once more in the magic circle, still enchanted and filled with the old god’s power. The assassin and twelve witches gathered, each with a sacrificial dagger in hand, and apparated to the bunker, appearing inside the control room with a red flash of magic.

Quickly determining that there was still no one there, they fanned out, looking for signs of magic, or clues to their quarry’s location. One of the witches was drawn to the rack next to the TACIT transporter. “There are several magical signatures in here,” she noted, feeling over the devices in the rack. She settled over the networking hub, then over the fobs attached, being careful not to actually touch or dislodge any of them. “The signatures are centered in these devices. Each one of these appears to have its own magical signature,” she noted, then moved on. The witches nearby nodded their heads in acknowledgement.

One of the witches sat before the console. She looked to the other witches, waiting for them to complete their searches. “I’ll attempt to hack into their system when you are done. I’m sure once I start, it will trip an alarm and notify them, so better if we are done and ready to leave if needed before I start.”

They nodded, still searching. Going through the den and bedrooms, they came up empty. They moved onto the bath, storeroom, and kitchen, then came back to the witch by the computer. “Nothing found, go ahead,” stated the lead witch.

The witch at the computer cast a hex on it, chanting her spell. The hex began trying to break through the system’s protections, both to get past the login prompt, as well as to unencrypt the computer’s contents. “Impressive encryption,” noted the witch as she watched the hex progress. “Someone knows their way around a system.”

“Probably the purple haired one,” mused the lead witch. “I heard she was some kind of scientist before she ascended.”

“Maybe. No matter though,” noted the witch at the computer. “My hex is powered by the energy of the old gods. Nothing will stand against it for long.” As she said that, the system prompt appeared on the computer, the login system having been successfully bypassed. She began typing, even as the hex above the system continued to glow and cycle. “Files are still being decrypted. Almost there.”

The hex above stopped, flashed, then disappeared. “And we are in. Okay,” her fingers flew across the keyboard, directory listing flashing before her. Moments later, she stopped. “Oh, here we go. Notes on those magically signed fobs.” She opened the files and began reading.

A few moments later, she fist pumped. “Yes! We got them!” The witches around her cheered. She pulled up a map of the area, overlaid with colored dots. Several were clustered around the bunker they were in. Several others were lined up in the margin, indicating they were off the map.

But several were clustered close together in the caldera of Mons Olympus.

The witch raised her sleeve to her mouth. “Gather the war party! We’ve found our quarry. Time to collect some sacrifices,” she cackled happily.

---

Dash and Sunset went from room to room. They found opulent bedrooms, dining rooms, living areas, and libraries, and rooms full of artifacts and devices. The entire lair was permeated with magic.

“This place is awesome!” Dash exclaimed.

“Yeah, got that right,” agreed Sunset, floating out of the last room. “I seriously think like 300 people could live there.”

“Like Kings!” agreed Dash.

“Let’s check out the rest of the lair,” suggested Sunset.

“On it!” Dash called out, taking off in a streak.

Sunset laughed as she watched her friend dash all over the lair, rainbow trails zigging all through the pathways. Finally, her friend zipped back to her side.

“Well?” teased Sunset. “What did you find?”

“It’s huge!” enthused Dash. “I think it’s even a little bigger than Chang’e’s.”

“I heard that, dear avatar,” Chang’e laughed over the headsets.

“I still like yours better though,” Dash tried to sooth.

Chang’e’s laugher rang over the headsets. “I was teasing you, my dear avatar,” she scolded playfully. “Surely you know me well enough by now to know I am not offended.”

Sunset grinned. “As much time as the two of you spend together, I am sure she knows you better than most brides know their husbands,” she snarked.

“Hey, don’t be like that,” said Dash. “We’re not like that.”

“Just teasing, Dashie,” joked Sunset. Chang’e chuckled.

“Hey, Dashie, why don’t you pick some of that fruit, and make a picnic for everyone in one of the pagodas?” suggested Sunset.

“Oh yeah! On it!” She disappeared down the path in a rainbow blur again. Sunset laughed.

---

Twilight flew out of the tunnel, Kuroko still grinning madly in her arms. She flew up, looking for the rover with their friends.

“I don’t see you. Can you see me?” asked Twilight.

“No, not seeing any sign of you,” Kaori called.

Twilight lit her horn. A brilliant glow enveloped them.

“I see you now. We are heading in your direction,” called out Chang’e.

Several minutes later, Kuroko spied them. “I see them,” she called out excitedly, pointing the rover out. Twilight nodded.

“Getting close,” Twilight agreed. “Chang’e, I am going to drop down a bit, and center over the entrance to make it easier for you.” Twilight dropped down to several hundred meters over the caldera, making sure to line herself up with the entrance, and that she could still clearly see the rover. “Still good?”

“Still good,” agreed Chang’e. A few minutes later, the rover rolled over to the front of the pass. Twilight settled down to the roof of the rover, resuming her previous seat, Kuroko snuggled happily into her lap.

“Okay, let’s do this,” Twilight grinned. “You are going to love this place.”

“I wonder if it’s the same as I remember?” mused Chang’e as she piloted the rover into the tunnel.

Twilight laid down, pulling Kuroko close to her. “Might be a bit of a tight fit. No sense bonking our heads,” she grinned, snuggling Kuroko close. Kuroko snuggled back, smiling.

“Do I have any traps or anything I need to look out for?” asked Chang’e as she moved the rover forward.

“Nope. Sunset said she neutralized them,” answered Twilight. “Knowing her, it involved fire and lots of melting,” she laughed.

As she said that, Chang’e drove up to where the first set of lances were. She saw molten metal crusted over the walls at regular intervals. She laughed. “You know her so well!” she teased.

“Right?” agreed Twilight, laughing herself. They drove on, laughing at each trap they drove by, all apparently neutralized by the application of sufficient fiery violence.

As they got to the end of the tunnel they saw the entire tunnel end section was a fused glaze of glassed rock. They laughed so hard that Twilight almost fell off the roof.

They emerged from the tunnel to be greeted by Dash and Sunset.

“Hi slowpokes! What took you so long!” teased Dash.

“Nice, um, fix?” Twilight giggled to Sunset, floating down from the top of the rover with Kuroko in her arms. She set Kuroko down.

Sunset blushed. “Whatever! Stupid traps,” she groused.

Dash laughed. “And that’s why you don’t take goddesses on Daring Do adventures,” she teased.

“It’s not a game, Dashie,” growled Sunset.

“Yeah yeah yeah. I got it,” grinned Dash. She side-hugged her friend.

The hatch opened, and Toma, Index, and the girls came pouring out. Kaori and Stiyl exited next, with Chang’e gracefully exiting last. Twilight entered the rover, and from the back pulled out Sunset’s chair and the large picnic basket she had packed for their lunch. She handed the basket to Dash, who ran it over to the pagoda she had prepared for their lunch, setting out the contents. Twilight set up the chair, which Sunset gratefully settled into.

“Thank you, Sparky!” Sunset said, giving Twilight a hug.

“No problem, Sunny! Anything for my BFF!” Twilight smiled.

“It’s as beautiful as I remember,” Chang’e smiled as she looked around. “I see he used the seeds and cuttings I gifted to him on my last visit. He was so enchanted with the fruits and wine that I brought before that he wanted them for himself.” She walked over to one of the vines, pulling some grapes off and tossing them one by one into her mouth. “Delicious!” she exclaimed.

Index and the girls were running around the trees, pulling fruit from the low hanging branches and eating as they ran. Toma grinned and joined them, also sampling the low hanging fruits. Kaori and Stiyl watched, laughing at their antics.

Dash finished setting up their picnic. She called out to everyone. “Hey, if you’re hungry, I’ve prepared a picnic. Follow me!” She led them to the pagoda where she had prepared platters of fruits and treats for them to enjoy, including sandwiches, chips, and salsa that Twilight had brought for the occasion. The rest of the group drifted over to join them, enjoying the tasty spread. They sat around chatting as they enjoyed the meal.

“This is the life,” sighed Dash, popping a fresh juicy grape into her mouth.

Chang’e smiled. “It truly is, my dear avatar,” she agreed.

After a comfortable period of relaxing, the girls and Index decided they wanted to explore the gardens, so they ran off down the trails together, laughing and yelling. Dash got up, smiling. “I’ll keep an eye on them,” she volunteered, dashing off after them, laughing and yelling herself.

Sunset grinned. “She’s such a kid sometimes.” Twilight and Chang’e nodded and laughed.

Sunset turned to Twilight. “Sparky, do you mind holding down the fort for a bit? I have an errand to run, it shouldn’t take more than a few hours. I have some friends I need to visit that I haven’t seen in ages,” she asked.

“Seen in ages, huh? Okay, no problem, Sunny. Where are you headed?” Twilight asked.

“To our moons,” replied Sunset with a smile, rising up from her chair with a flap of her outstretched wings. “Thanks, Sparky! See you in a few hours!” she called out as she flew over the orchards and fields towards the entrance. She strafed the girls, waving to them as she passed, then shot into the tunnel, racing down the length of it and out into the waiting Martian sky. She angled up, and in a rainbow streak of light lit out for the moons circling overhead.

---

Far below her, a group of armed witches flew through the Martian sky, wrapped in a magical bubble of power that masked their presence and surrounded them with breathable air. Together on their brooms in tight formation, they raced for the caldera of the ancient volcano before them, guided by the laptop they had stolen. Focused on the map, they didn’t notice the rainbow trail shooting up from the caldera then dissipating as it left the atmosphere.

---

Sunset floated before the surface of the larger moon. Shutting her eyes, she glowed with teal power, transforming completely into crystal. She then phased into pure Harmonic energy, and shot forward, passing through the surface of the moon, deep into the Heart Crystal buried within. Entering the crystal, she was brought into phase with its Harmonic magic. Looking down, she could see her angelic form again complete, radiating teal power like a star in the night sky. Below her stretched out rolling hills covered with forest and farms. In the distance, she spied a beautiful city, lit with crystal lights, glowing beautifully on the side of a large mountain. She shot towards it, rainbow magic trailing behind her in splendor. Approaching the city, she could see people moving about, passing and greeting each other happily, going about their late evening.

She stopped over the city, glowing brightly. People stopped, looking up, pointing and calling out in wonder. Sunset smiled.

“My children!” she called out happily. “I have missed you! Your goddess has returned!”

Below, there was a great cry as people began rejoicing, calling out and crying in their gratitude. Their goddess had returned!

Sunset lowered down into the street among them, hovering just above the street. The crowd made a circle around her, laughing in joy. A child shot out from the crowd. The little girl ran to her, and hugged tightly to her legs. Sunset bent down and scooped the child up into a hug, smiling and snuggling her tight. “I have missed you all so much!” she called out happily.

The crowd pressed tightly around her. Sunset reached out, and hugged all who approached, greeting each one in their native tongue. The child’s mother came forward, hugging Sunset as well, and took her happy child back from her goddess. Sunset hugged and kissed every child that approached, lifting them into her embrace for a hug, then returning them to their parents with hugs for them too. The crowd brought her eventually to the gates of the palace at the center of the city.

The crystal gates opened wide with a fanfare and flourish. The people moved back as a regiment of ceremonial guards marched out, lining both sides of the crowd around her, then as one, genuflected. With another flourish from the trumpets, a couple with royal bearing emerged from the gate, and in a stately manner walked to Sunset. Standing before her, as one, they too genuflected, and called out together.

“Welcome, goddess! Welcome to our Kingdom of Harmony.”

Tears rolling down her cheeks, Sunset bent, and pulled them to stand before her. She then embraced them both, happily crying.

“Thank you! Thank you so much for waiting for me faithfully. Thank you so much for keeping the principles of Harmony.” Sunset released them, and bowed her head, extending her hands over them.

“May the blessings of Harmony be forever yours! May the Maker bless you all now and forever!” she called out. A glow spread from her then pulsed out, washing her children in its warmth.

The woman of the couple turned to the people. “In honor of this great day, we proclaim this a holiday of great joy! Let us spend the next week in a festival to rejoice at the return of our goddess!”

There was a great shout of happiness from the crowd that spread in waves throughout the entire city. As the people rejoiced, the royal couple bowed again, and taking her hands, led her into the castle with them.

---

“I wonder what that was all about, going to visit the moon,” mused Dash as she helped clean up from the picnic.

“Probably related to something she saw while in the arch,” guessed Twilight, putting away the leftover food, packing up the picnic basket with the leftovers.

“She had the look of a Mother visiting her child,” smiled Chang’e, watching everyone play and walk through the gardens.

“She did mention something about children,” agreed Twilight, finishing with the food and loading the basket back into the rover. Dash had stacked up all the dishes and ran them back into the temple, washing them quickly in one of the kitchens and leaving them to dry in racks. She was back in ten seconds flat.

“You think Sunset has kids,” asked Dash, askance. “I didn’t think she swung that way.”

Twilight facepalmed. “Dash, you don’t have to be straight to have kids. You do know, other couples can have children too.”

“I don’t think that is the type of children she meant,” corrected Chang’e. “I believe she meant her followers, others under her care. I have often referred to those given to my care as my children. I think those are the children Sunset spoke of.”

“Ah, okay,” nodded Dash in understanding. Then she frowned again. “But children on the moon? Those moons are tiny! No one could live there!” she stated.

“I guess we’ll just have to ask her when she gets back,” answered Twilight, baskets put away. She joined Chang’e in sitting and watching the others play.

“I guess,” sighed Dash, joining them.

---

Sunset sat with the royal couple, co-rulers of this Realm of Harmony. Over dinner and drinks, they shared with Sunset the story of the Realm, and of all that had happened since she had left the survivors of the ancient Apocalyptic War in this realm to prosper and practice the precepts of Harmony.

Over the ages, they had grown as a people until they filled the realm with their families, cities, towns and farms. They had shepherded the land, tending to it and nurturing it, enjoying the blessings she had left them and the abundance of goodness it contained. Using its riches they built fine towns and cities. Eventually, once the land was populated enough to warrant the creation of a capital, they built this capital city and its jewel like structures, including this castle.

A loving couple that best exemplified the practice of the precepts of Harmony was chosen by popular consent to be the co-rulers of the realm, leading their people by example and exhortation. When the time came for that couple to pass to the next level of reality, another couple was chosen by the same process, down through the ages, so there was always a couple leading the realm in Harmony while they awaited the return of their goddess.

They had grown in wisdom and understanding as well, advancing their science and practices. Eventually they were able to study the cosmos around them, and had the science to travel to the stars and beyond. They watched their neighbors on the next planet towards the sun lift themselves up from their humble beginnings, taking their own march towards embracing Harmony. But never did they interfere with them or attempt to influence them, as that was not the lot left for them by the Maker. Within their realm, they elected to keep to a simple agrarian life, embracing the simplicity of that life in their practice of the precepts of Harmony.

And now, they were filled with delight. Finally, they had seen the day of their goddess returning to them.

Sunset cried happy tears listening to the tale, sipping her drink as she listened.

When they were finished with their tale, she requested. “I would like to introduce you to my friends, some of them goddesses that like me work to bring the joy of Harmony to all the cosmos. Would you be willing to come with me and meet them? Just for a bit, then I will return you here again.”

The man laughed. “We would surely be delighted to join you, and meet your friends and fellow goddesses. However, please tell me we won’t have to wait for another eon to return to our realm,” he teased.

“Heavens forbid it!” laughed Sunset. “No, I will not be leaving you for that stretch of time ever again! On that you have my promise!”

“It sounds delightful,” agreed the woman. “I can’t wait to meet them.”

Sunset reached out and took their hands. “Then let’s go!” she enthused. They glowed with teal magic. With a flash they disappeared.

---

“We’re directly above them,” called out the witch, laptop open before her, sitting on her broom in the close company of her companions within their magical shield. “There should be some kind of opening somewhere below us. Look for it!” They lowered down, all eyes scouring the landscape below.

“There, over there!” called out one of the witches near the edge of their formation. “I see tracks! Let’s follow them.” They descended to the tracks. Following them, they spied the tunnel entrance.

“Mark the location on the map for future reference!” called out the lead witch. Nodding, the witch with the laptop made the notation. “Prepare for battle, sisters! For the glory of the elder gods!” she cried out.

“For the glory of the elder gods!” cried out the rest of the witches. As one, they flew into the tunnel.

---

Reincorporated, Sunset held the hands of the couple, levitated in her magic within her protective shield as she floated beside the moon. Looking down on the planet below, they smiled. “It is beautiful still, in its own way,” the woman observed.

“Indeed it is,” agreed Sunset. “Ready? Time to meet some new friends.”

“Ready!” The couple agreed. Sunset flew down towards the caldera, new friends in tow.

---

Within the cavern, the witches, still cloaked, raced out of the tunnel, heading towards the center of the cavern where Twilight and her friends were playing and resting.

“Something’s not right!” called out Twilight, sensing but not seeing the approaching witches. “Dash, get everyone over here now!”

Dash whipped out in a burst of rainbow speed, grabbing each of their friends and bringing them to Chang’e and Twilight. Twilight stood, arms outstretched, and a magical barrier materialized around them just as Dash brought in the last of the girls.

There was a flash of light as the witches of the coven struck Twilight’s barrier, shattering their protective and cloaking spell from around them. With shrieks and howls, they surrounded the barrier, raining down hexes and curses upon it, attempting to break through and sacrifice everyone before them.

Chang’e called out to Twilight. “What is this madness?”

Twilight responded, “These are the witches that want to kill me and Sunset.” She kept her shield strong against their repeated attacks.

---

Sunset, her new friends in hand, flew down into the canyon and into the entrance of the tunnel. She raced down it, excited to introduce two of her children to her friends. As they neared the end of the tunnel, she sensed something was horribly amiss. She slowed as she neared the cavern, and looked in shock at what was occurring.

“Oh hells no!” Sunset shouted. She raced towards the attacking witches encircling her friends. The royals, still clutching her hands, were horrified at what they saw. A group of black clad evil women were attacking two goddesses, both with arms outstretched and glowing with power holding off their attacks. Several younger people crouched behind them, clearly willing to join the battle themselves but waiting on their goddesses. Sunset raced through the attacking witches, sending two of them sprawling as she barreled through and past Twilight’s shield, stopping beside her and releasing the royal couple, who moved to stand with the young ones, watching the goddesses.

“I leave for a few hours and literally all hell breaks loose!” swore Sunset.

“Apparently?” snarked Twilight, her hands raised, maintaining the shield. “Who’re your new friends?”

“They’re two of my children, descendants of the original people of Mars. They’re the royal couple in charge of the Martian Realm of Harmony,” answered Sunset, firing blasts of fiery magic at the witches as they raced around attacking the shield.

“Children? Been holding out on me, Sunny?” teased Twilight. “You have some secrets you’ve been keeping from me?”

“Hardly, Sparky!” smirked Sunset, scoring a direct hit on one of the witches who fell from her broom to the cobblestones below. “I actually only just found out about them a few hours ago.”

“While you were in the archway, yeah, I figured as much,” smiled Twilight, power radiating from her hands into the still impregnable shield. She turned to her BFF. “I can’t even pretend to understand it, but standing here by your side, battling these buttholes that are trying to kill us… I should be terrified, but it just feels so right. Like this is where I belong. Weird, right?”

“No, not weird,” smiled Sunset. “More like, we finally found where we belong, and we’re doing what we were always meant to do,” mused Sunset. One of the witches covered herself in a powerful hex and tried to ram the shield. It briefly cracked, then healed itself as the now unconscious witch slid down its surface to the cobblestones below.

The witches pulled back, regrouping, as the individual attacks were not getting them the desired results. They landed, and grabbing one of the fallen witches, they slit her throat, using her blood to make a hastily poured magic circle on the ground.

“What the actual buck!” screamed out Sunset, witnessing their barbaric inhumanity to one of their own fallen. “What in the seven hells! How could you be so completely heartless!” she screamed out at the witches.

Chanting, they summoned the power of one of their elder gods, shaping the power into a powerful and potently evil hex. When the hex was fully formed, they launched the spell against the shield, which immediately cracked and crazed under the powerful assault.

“Oh hells no!” screamed Sunset, glowing brightly with power. “You will not harm any of my children! I will not allow it!” She launched herself through the shield, which shattered as she passed. She tore through the overpowered hex, destroying it as she ripped through it, heading straight for the circle of witches.

The witches scattered, flying in all directions to escape her wrath. As Sunset hovered over their still empowered circle, the witches regrouped, fleeing towards the tunnel, then in tight formation down it to escape, leaving their wounded behind.

Sunset flew after them, intent on putting an end to this permanently. As she closed on them, the witches disappeared in a flash of amber. Sunset flew to where they disappeared, sensing their retreat back to their coven.

“Don’t think this is over!” she yelled out, overcome with rage. “Don’t think I won’t track you down and end this! I am coming for you!”

Shaking with rage, she took deep breaths to calm herself. Calmed slightly, she returned to the cavern where she saw Twilight moving among the fallen witches, apparating them away.

Sunset flew next to her BFF, and pulled her into a hug. Tears fell, her feelings finally catching up with her. Pulling back, with tear stained cheeks, she looked into her friend's eyes. “Are you okay, Sparky?” she asked.

Crying as well, Twilight hugged her back. “As long as I’m by your side? Never better,” she smiled through her tears.

“Me too,” agreed Sunset. “By your side, I could face anything.” She hugged her friend tightly, then drifted back, holding her hand. She looked around. The last of the witches were gone. Their friends were holding one another looking confused, if not frightened. The royal couple were looking very confused, and were having a difficult time trying to ask questions, as no one present besides Sunset knew their language. Chang’e was moving among everyone, comforting and supporting them as needed.

Toma walked over to the still-empowered spell circle the witches had activated. Reaching out his right hand, he touched the circle. With a bang, all the magic in it dissipated and it went dark. He shook his head, and returned to Index and the girls.

Koari turned to Stiyl. “Damn, that’s a useful quirk,” she noted.

Stiyl nodded. “It certainly has had its uses,” he agreed, watching while Toma comforted Index, clearly shaken up by all the violence.

Kaori and Stiyl walked over to Sunset and Twilight. Hand in hand, the goddesses looked out at the damage the witches had caused with their attack.

“How are you two doing?” asked Kaori as they approached. “Are you going to be okay?”

Twilight turned to them. She drifted down to the ground, and walking over, embraced Kaori. “Yes, thank you for asking. Thank you for everything.

“And thank you for offering to care for the fallen witches. I apparated them to the marker you gave me. As much as I hate them, I’m happy Necessesarius is taking care of them. No one deserves to just be left for dead like that. The callous way they treat their fallen is appalling.” Twilight shivered at the recollection of them slitting the throat of their fallen comrade to power their curse.

“We’re happy to help, Twilight. And you’re right, no one deserves to be treated like that,” agreed Kaori.

Stiyl nodded in agreement. “We will be interrogating them when they are in better health, trying to find out what they hope to gain by all this. We know they’ve always wanted a return to the old gods. But why the push now? What’s happening now that’s so special? That’s the pressing question.”

Sunset dropped down to join them. “Just to let you know, I’m going after them. As soon as I’m sure everyone here is safe, I’m going to their coven, and wiping it off the map. They’re too much of a loose cannon to leave alone, as they proved here today. You may have a few more witches to take care of by the time I’m done.”

Kaori spoke up. “Actually, if you can, please don’t wipe the coven off the map. We need to examine their libraries and archives. There may be clues there to what is going on, and what we can expect. Let us search them before you burn everything to the ground.”

“That actually makes a great deal of sense,” agreed Twilight. “I can help you in that search. Nobody knows libraries like I do,” she smiled.

“Sounds like a plan then,” agreed Sunset. “I’ll go in, drop them. Then you, Sparky, and our friends here can dig for answers. Before we do that though, let’s go introduce you and everyone to my new friends. Then I can return them to their realm and keep them out of harm's way while we clean up this mess.” She let them over to their group of friends.

Sunset introduced them all to the Royal couple and vice versa. She gave a very brief summary of who each of them were and their part in the struggle they had witnessed. She then explained to everyone how she had managed to save a small group of the original inhabitants of the planet in their final apocalyptic moments, creating a safe realm for them to inhabit and prosper in. And how over the last eon they had done just that. The younger girls in particular were in awe at the tale.

With that, and the battle they had just gone through, Dash proclaimed that this was now a real Daring Do style adventure, which got a chuckle from Sunset and Twilight.

Sunset informed them all that she was taking the couple back to their realm to keep them safe from the fallout of their battle. “I don’t want any more of my children coming to harm or being at risk from whomever is behind all these attacks. They should be safe in their realm until we get this all sorted,” Sunset explained. She explained again to the royal couple in their own tongue. They reluctantly agreed.

The couple bid goodbye to their new friends. Taking their hands, Sunset levitated them to her sides. Surrounded by her shield and held in her levitation, they flew out of the cavern and down the tunnel. She shot out of the tunnel in a rainbow trail of magical flight, and raced up to their moon, transforming them all in flight to their crystal then Harmonic energy forms. As pure Harmonic energy, they shot through the moon and into their realm. In their own natural form again, she descended from the sky and down to their castle, releasing them at their castle gates.

A large crowd had gathered at the sight of their goddess descending from the sky with their Royal couple. Hugging her new friends, she bid them farewell, promising to return soon. She then turned to the gathered crowd, bidding them farewell as well, and issuing the same promise to them. With that, she flew up into the sky and through the vault of their heavens, emerging from the moon and transforming back to her corporeal self. She shot down into her planet's atmosphere, shining as bright as a shooting star. Nearing the entrance to her lair, she slowed slightly, rocketing into the tunnel and down to her waiting friends.

Shooting from the entrance, she came to a stop over them, and settled down into her chair, which Twilight had brought out for her. “Thank you,” Sunset smiled, hugging her BFF.

“Anytime, anywhere, anyhow, Sunny,” smiled Twilight, hugging her back. “And for this next part, I’m coming with you. No arguments. I belong by your side. Ready Freddy?” she asked.

Turning to Chang’e, the mages, and the rest of their friends, Sunset smiled. “We’ll be right back!” Taking her friend's hand, she smiled. “Ready Freddy!”

They disappeared in a flash of magenta magic, Sunset’s chair sitting empty.

---

They appeared over the grounds of the witches coven, Sunset suspended in Twilight’s levitation as she hovered above the landscape.

“Dang, Sparky! You never cease to amaze,” grinned Sunset as she flapped her wings, holding herself aloft. Twilight released the levitation she was using.

“I am your shield,” smiled Twilight. “Let’s go smite some witches, shall we?”

“Let’s!” agreed Sunset with a grin. Releasing her friend's hand, she held out her arms in front of her, hands glowing with teal power.

Twilight did the same, her hands glowing with magenta power. Together they flew straight at the coven manor, slamming into the magical shield surrounding it, shattering it as they plowed into it and then through the door to the manor. Sensing a gathering magic below them, they raced down the stairs before them, then into a great hall below where the witches were gathered beneath another shield, surrounding an empowering circle.

The source of the power was clear to see. Beside them lay the body of another witch, drained of her blood and completely pale, her throat slit from ear to ear. She laid beside the circle formed from her blood, around which the witches chanted. Together, the goddesses slammed into the magical barrier, shattering it just as they had the first one.

As they shattered the barrier, the coven lead witch grabbed the hand of her assassin and apparated with her, leaving the other witches to deal with the goddesses. Within moments, Twilight and Sunset had dealt with all the remaining witches, leaving them stunned and unconscious in piles around their now useless spell circle.

Sunset searched for where the two fleeing witches had apparated too, but her trace was blocked by powerful dark magic. She sighed. “Looks like the small fry just fled to the big fish. I hope the mages can do better tracking them.”

She drifted back over to Twilight. “Feel like taking a trip to fetch our mage friends? I’ll watch over things here while you get them. Then they can call in their cavalry to deal with this mess as they please. And we can get the rest of our friends back where they belong.”

“Sounds like a plan,” agreed Twilight. She disappeared in a magenta flash.

Sunset looked out over the fallout of their brief squirmish. “Whomever you are, we are coming for you,” she promised.

In a magenta flash, Twilight reappeared with Kaori and Stiyl.

“Hello? Hello?” Kaori said. She held out the cell phone in her hand. “Whatever. Guess the call was over anyway.” She put the phone away. “They're sending a team over now. Shouldn’t be more than a few minutes. We’ll take care of these ladies, and see what we can find.”

One of the witches started coming too. Kaori stunned her, she fell back unconscious. She looked over at the corpse of the witch, slain in sacrifice to power the still active spell circle. “Well, we won’t be helping that one,” she sighed. “That’s just cold blooded evil.” She shook her head.

Sunset nodded her head sadly in agreement. “I can’t wait to put a permanent stop to this.” Looking one more time over everything, she asked. “So, you two got this? You’re good waiting here while we take care of the rest of our friends?”

“We’re good,” Stiyl nodded. “Go do what you need to do.”

With a hug for them both, the girls left the mages in a teal flash.

---

In a flash of teal magic, Twilight and Sunset appeared before their friends. Toma had pulled the picnic basket from the rover, allowing a nervous and clearly shaken Index to snack as she waited. The girls were gathered around her, also trying to comfort her.

Sunset settled down into her waiting chair, then turned to Twilight. “Are you okay with returning the rover to NASA, while I drop our friends off back home? I’ll join you wherever you are as soon as I finish,” she promised.

“I know you will, Sunny. Sure, I got this. Go take everyone home. I’ll bring our NASA friends back their toy, thank them, then join you,” agreed Twilight. She said goodbye to everyone, climbing up into the rover and shutting the hatch. Firing up the rover, she drove it to the tunnel entrance, then down the tunnel and out into the caldera.

Sunset watched her BFF drive off, a touch of sadness in her heart. Chang’e came up beside her. “Do not fret, dear friend. It will only be for a brief time. A single moment in the eternity you have together. Come! Let us be off as well. I have much to tell my friends when I get back.

---

Outside in the caldera, Twilight groaned. “I really don’t want to spend the next several hours driving this beast back to NASA. It was fun enough coming out, spending time together on our little adventure. But right now, I need to be by Sunset’s side,” she mused to herself. “Yeah, screw this.”

Stopping the rover, in a magenta flash she appeared just above it. “Too bad the girls aren’t here. I bet they would get a kick out of this. Especially Ruiko and Kazari,” she grinned wickedly.

She levitated the rover off the ground, surrounded with her magic. Rover in tow, she shot up into the sky, heading straight back towards the NASA base.

---

Inside the base command and control room, there was frantic activity. “Sir, a large object is approaching from the Olympus Mons caldera at sonic speed, headed straight for us!” reported one of the operators watching the approaching mark on his system.

“Give me a visual!” called out the base commander. A blurry image appeared on the central screen before them, showing a smaller glowing blur followed by a larger blur. “Clean that up! What are we seeing?” he commanded.

The operator adjusted the optics on the tracking camera. Bringing it into focus, they could clearly see their rover, preceded by a glowing angelic young woman with a glowing horn protruding from her head.

The base commander laughed, shaking his head. “Cancel the alert!” he called out. The flashing lights stopped and everyone relaxed. “It’s just our neighbors bringing back their ride.”

---

Gently setting the rover down just outside the NASA base, Twilight popped back into the pilot seat. Placing the headset on, she called out to operations.

“Operations, this is LM-06a requesting permission to return to base,” Twilight called out.

“LM-06a, this is operations. You gave us a bit of a scare there, girl,” operations teased.

“LM-06a. Whatever do you mean?” she asked.

“It’s not often we see our rovers flying at us at near the speed of sound,” snarked the operator.

“Ah, saw that, did you? Sorry about that, I should have called ahead and warned you,” apologized Twilight.

“Operations. That would be appreciated, but honestly you would not have been able to reach us from the caldera anyway. Our satellite is not currently overhead, and the unit is line-of-sight without a magnetosphere to bounce signals off of,” the operator replied.

“LM-06a. I can help you with that. Remind me to set you up with some TACIT relays in the near future,” suggested Twilight. “Requesting docking clearance, I am just outside of the airlock, and need to return your ride.”

“Operations. LM-06a, you are cleared for entrance to the airlock,” informed the operator. They then exchanged control banter as the lock cycled through and opened the inside door, allowing her to park it in the spot they had picked it up from.

“LM-06a, returned and powering down. Signing off, with my thanks!” Twilight informed operations. She shut down the systems on the rover, then clambered back to the hatch. She noticed then she didn’t have either the picnic basket nor Sunset’s chair. “I guess I need to go back and grab them,” she sighed. She opened the hatch, then clambered down it, shutting and dogging it closed. Standing on the floor of the rover bay, she disappeared in a flash of magenta.

Appearing back in the lair. She looked over, finding the basket where Index had left it when leaving with Sunset. She packed everything back up, then carried the basket over to where Sunset’s chair was sitting. Placing the basket on the chair, she disappeared with them both.

… Appearing back in their bunker. She looked around at the destruction the witches had left after their search.

“I so can’t deal with this right now,” she groaned. “What a mess.” She walked over to the conference room table, noticing the laptop was missing. She looked into the den, finding the other laptop. She checked all the rooms, but it was clearly gone. “Crap,” Twilight swore. “Well, I guess that clears up how they found us! Clearly even NSA grade encryption is no match for magic. Damn. So now I have to assume whomever has that laptop can currently track our every movement through the fobs. Time to put a stop to that.”

Twilight grabbed the other laptop and signed in. She pulled up the interface for the fob access control, and searched the location of all the fobs. One was returning Nulls for its location, indicating that it wasn’t on Mars and that if it was on Earth, it was being shielded from GPS signaling. It was the fob attached to the missing laptop.

“At least they didn’t try to steal any of the other fobs. I guess they were in too big a hurry to come kill us to worry about that,” she mused. She blocked all access to the network from that fob, disabling it. She also removed its paired match from the hub in the control room. “I am going to find and retrieve that laptop. I can’t let them keep access to the data on its drives.”

With that sorted for the moment, Twilight took the basket over to the kitchen counter and put the food away in the fridge. She walked over to Sunset’s chair. Sitting in it, she keyed her teleport to Sunset’s fob and teleported to her.

She appeared in their apartment living room. Sunset was relaxing on the couch with the girls, Toma, and Index, all playing or watching a video game. Twilight smiled at her BFF.

“Forget something, Sunny?” she teased.

“Yeah! I’ve been playing at being a floating meat puppet. Finally took a break from that to sit down for a bit,” Sunset replied, grinning at her friend. “Want to trade?”

“Nah, have a better idea,” grinned Twilight. She got up and sat in her friend's lap, leaning back into her and pulling her arms around her.

“You’re such a dork,” laughed Sunset, hugging her tightly.

“Takes one to know one,” she teased back. “Some bad news I’m afraid. I know how the coven tracked us.”

“How’s that?” asked Sunset.

“They stole one of the conference room laptops, hacked it, and were using the fobs to track our location,” replied Twilight.

“Crap! Did you lock them out?” asked Sunset.

“Yup, already sorted. Locked out and removed their paring fob too. They can’t get back in. But they still have all the data copied down onto the laptop, which is way more than I want them to have. I didn’t see any sign of a laptop back at the battle we had with the coven. I’ll ask the mages to keep an eye out for it, but I think at this point we have to assume that the two that escaped still have it with them. Aside from having the specs for the TACIT systems and several other devices I’ve been working on, I’m trying to think of what else was on there that can come back to bite us,” answered Twilight. “It’s bad enough that they have the TACIT design. I really didn’t want that to fall into the wrong hands.

“I guess it’s time to go into overdrive. If they’re going to be making their own TACIT devices, I want all our friends to have access to the technology. That means JAXA and EAS for starters, and the mages. Definitely fobs for all of the mages who want one. And I promised fob pairs and tech to NASA to help with their off-Earth communications.”

“Anything I can do to help, just let me know,” promised Sunset, hugging her friend.

Kuroko got up from where she was sitting next to Mikoto, currently taking her turn at the game. She sat down next to the two of them and hugged them tightly.

“Missed you too, sissy,” teased Sunset, pulling her into their hug too. Kuroko beamed with happiness.

After several peaceful moments watching their friends play, surrounded by love, Twilight extracted herself from the wonderful hug and got up. “I’m going to set out some snacks and drinks for everyone, seeing it looks like we’re hanging out here for a bit. Want anything?”

“Yes please,” smiled Sunset. She wiggled her eyebrows.

Twilight laughed and lightly punched her arm. “I meant drinks, dork! Do you want something to drink or eat?”

Sunset laughed. “Sure! Whatever you pick out. Thanks, Sparky!”

Twilight rolled her eyes, grinning as she went into the kitchen. She set out the leftovers from their last dinner, chips and dips, drinks, and the leftover miso soup. Index immediately came over from the couch, took a seat, and started some serious snacking. Laughing, Toma came over and joined her.

Twilight made a coffee for herself and Sunset, then grabbed three baozi for her and Sunset to snack on. Sunset’s of course was filled with sauteed mushrooms instead of the usual pork. Taking a rather crowded seat next to her BFF, she handed Sunset her coffee and snack. She handed the extra one to Kuroko. “Wouldn't want you starving while watching us eat,” she teased, taking a bite of her baozi and a sip of coffee.

“Thank you!” chirped Kuroko, enjoying her snack.

The game ended. Everyone moved over to the table and served themselves up from the leftovers laid out on the table. A few of them made coffee, but most of them settled for the drinks Twilight had pulled from the fridge. Index was happily hunched over a bowl of dip, on her second bag of chips.

Twilight laughed at the sight of Index wolfing down her snack. “I don’t know whether to be jealous, impressed, or both watching Index pack that food away. I can eat, but if I ate like that I would be a really big girl.”

Sunset laughed and hugged her tight. “Doesn’t matter how big you get, Sparky! You’re all mine, every bit of you,” she teased.

Twilight laughed, wiggling to break her grip. “When did you get so sappy?” she teased back. “Too much watching StarTrek? Turned you into a Cling-On?”

“Oh har-de-har-har, witty one! That was so corny I could pop it and fill a bowl!” grinned Sunset.

“Are you mocking me, oh queen of corn?” laughed Twilight back, fending off Sunset’s attempts to ensnare her in a hug again. Kuroko, now sitting in Sunset’s lap, held tightly to avoid getting knocked off by their wrestling antics. She was laughing and grinning at them both.

Both Makoto and Toma were watching them, and burst out in laughter together. They turned to each other, blushed, and looked away, resuming watching their goddess friends' antics, which had now devolved into a tickle fight, with Kuroko stuck between them to her absolute delight.

Unable to resist, Ruiko and Kazari ran over to join them, trying to tickle them both, giggling happily. Sunset and Twilight both turned and grabbed one each, administering a sound tickling, causing both girls to howl in laughter. Kuroko joined in the fun, trying to tickle Sunset, then Twilight. Sunset wrapped her up in one arm, tickling her mercilessly, giving Ruiko a chance to catch her breath. Kuroko squirmed and squealed, laughing and trying fruitlessly to tickle Sunset back. After a few moments of breathless giggles, Kuroko vanished in a flash, appearing behind the girls, launching onto Sunset to resume her ticklish attacks. Sunset laughed, letting her have her ticklish fun while she resumed her silly torment of Ruiko, who squirmed and giggled hysterically.

After several breathless moments of hysterical delight, the older girls relented, giving Ruiko and Kazari a break. Sunset reached around behind her, wrapping Kuroko into a tight hug and resumed tickling her mercilessly. After a few howling moments of delighted torment, Kuroko flashed away again, holding her sides and catching her breath. “No more!” she wheezed, still laughing.

Toma turned to Mikoto with a grin. “I could help you have some fun too,” he teased, wiggling his hand with claw fingers at her.

Mikoto blushed and bristled. “Don’t you dare! I’ll launch you through a wall if you even try!” She backed away from him as he laughingly leaned towards her, still waving his claw fingers at her. As she got near Index, she was wrapped up in a tight hug. “Index, no!” she called out, embarrassed.

Toma leaned in and poked her side. Mikoto giggled and twisted away, pulling free of Index’s hug. “Jerk!” she called out, still laughing. “I’ll get you for that!”

“You promise?” laughed Toma, sitting next to Index and pulling her into a happy hug.

“You two are such jerks!” Mikoto blushed, acutely embarrassed. Toma and Index both grinned.

Sunset laughed. She hugged Ruiko and Twilight tightly. “Wow, I think we all really needed that after the day we’ve had!”

Twilight hugged Kazari, a huge smile on her face. “I know I did!” She agreed happily. “Takes more than a coven of crazy witches and old gods to get me down! Especially when I’m with my friends!”

Sunset hugged Twilight close, gave her a peck on the cheek. “Don’t you know it! You guys are the best cure for days like today!

“Eat up, everyone! We have time for a movie or something, then we all have to get some sleep or we’ll be zombies all day tomorrow. Can’t have that!” Sunset joked.

Sunset let Ruiko go. Ruiko grabbed Kazari’s hand, heading over to the table to get some dinner. Sunset reached over and pulled her chair next to the couch, then transferred into it. She grabbed Twilight, plopping her down on her lap. Together they rolled over to the table to join their friends for dinner. Mikoto and Toma followed them, Mikoto still flushed with embarrassment. They all sat at the table and served themselves from the leftovers. Sunset led them in Harmonic grace. After that they ate, sharing conversation and laughter together.

After dinner, Sunset brought out the desserts from the freezer, and everyone took their pick. Dessert and drinks in hand, they moved into the living room to pick out a movie and enjoy the remainder of their evening.

After some playful arguing, they settled on Toki o kakeru shôjo, enjoying the antics of the main character Makoto as she tried to unravel the messes she had made in the first part of the movie. The girls were a little saddened by the end of the movie. Toma did point out to them that it was clear that they would meet again though, while looking at Mikoto and smiling, causing her to blush and bristle in equal measure. When the movie was over, everyone said goodnight.

Twilight offered to take Toma and Index home. When they had left, Sunset invited the girls to spend the night with them. The girls called their dorm managers but were denied this time to Sunset’s surprise, so she teleported them home and returned to their apartment to wait for Twilight.

Twilight returned, joining her BFF in getting ready for bed. A warm shower later, the two of them settled in for the night, looking out over the city as Sunset snuggled up against Twilight’s back, wrapping her in a warm hug.

“You know Sparky, I really need to lock down the lair. I may have gone a little overboard disabling all the defenses earlier. I hate leaving it wide open now that the coven knows about it and where it is,” sighed Sunset. “I don’t want them getting their hands on anything in there too. Bad enough they have the TACIT plans.”

“Overdid it a bit? Ya think?” teased Twilight, snuggled up to her friend. She laughed. “Good thinking though. Do you want to take care of it in the morning while I take everyone back and get them settled?”

“Sure. I just want to get it done sooner than later. I have a bad feeling about those witches. If we don’t protect the lair and watch our backs, we’re going to get bitten hard by it,” agreed Sunset. “And note to self, next time, go easy on clearing the traps. I so slagged everything, I’m going to have to start from scratch.” She nestled into her friend's grasp. “Tomorrow’s headache. Tonight, some much needed rest.”

Twilight held Sunset’s arms in hers, and together, the friends drifted off into a well earned night's sleep.

Author's Note:

Next chapter starts ‘First Blood / The Girls’ story Arcs (as the story kicks into overdrive). Interspersed with this is Twilight and Sunset racing to provide TACIT base and transporter pairs to JAXA, EAS, and others as well as TACIT enabled fobs/tech for NASA and Necessarius. This is matched by their opposing forces apparently mastering the TACIT technology and of creating their own TACIT systems, causing more frustration for the mages and goddesses.

The goddesses of the hunt.

Comments

[BestinDworld]

Twilight laughed, wiggling to break her grip. “When did you get so sappy?” she teased back. “Too much watching StarTrek? Turned you into a Cling-On?”

me in dr zoidberg from futurerama voice

that pun was bad and you should feel bad

jk lol